Halloween Dirt Cups That Make Spooky Treats Fun

1 3.9-ounce box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold whole milk
1 8-ounce tub whipped topping, thawed in the refrigerator
20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed into fine crumbs with a few larger pieces
16 gummy worms
24 candy eyeballs (optional)
8 Halloween candy pumpkins (optional)

Optional — the recipe works without them.

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1

Pour the cold whole milk into a large mixing bowl. Add the instant chocolate pudding mix and whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, following the package directions for the correct mixing time. It's ready when the pudding begins to thicken and no dry pudding mix remains.
2

Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes at room temperature, or for the package-directed setting time if longer, then gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until the mixture is evenly chocolate-colored. It's ready when no large white streaks of whipped topping remain.
3

Place the chocolate sandwich cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin for 3 to 4 minutes, leaving a mixture of fine crumbs and small crunchy pieces. It's ready when most of the cookies resemble dark soil, with a few small pieces remaining.
4

Spoon the chocolate pudding mixture evenly into 8 small serving cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Divide the crushed cookies among the cups to make an even dirt layer (about 7 minutes).
5

Decorate each cup with 2 gummy worms, pressing part of each worm into the cookie crumbs. Add candy eyeballs or a Halloween candy pumpkin if desired, and serve immediately or refrigerate until serving (about 6 minutes). It's ready when the cookie layer covers the pudding and the candy decorations stay in place.

Instant chocolate pudding combined with thawed whipped topping creates a creamy, spoonable filling without cooking a custard. Crushing the chocolate sandwich cookies separately and adding them just before serving preserves the crumbly dirt texture instead of letting the cookies soften in the pudding.
Whisk the pudding thoroughly and allow it to thicken before folding in the whipped topping. Prepare the pudding mixture ahead if needed, but keep the cookie crumbs separate and assemble shortly before serving. If the cups are already assembled, refrigerate them to firm the filling and add a fresh sprinkle of cookie crumbs before serving.

The cookie crumbs absorb moisture and become soft when the dirt cups sit assembled for too long, while insufficiently chilled pudding can leave the layers loose.

330 kcal

Calories

4g

Protein

54g

Carbs

12g

Fat

1g

Fiber

330mg

Sodium